Disclaimers, etc, part one.

.

.

.

… … …

.

Giles had sent a letter no one was allowed to see. The next day, Sunday, an owl had arrived with a short note saying, "No one can beat any sense into him, you're welcome to try." Giles spent the day in his office at the Magic Box writing letters and feeding owls.

Now that they had agreed to help out, the Scooby Gang insisted that Sirius explain everything he could about the situation in England. In return they told him some of the more spectacular stories of Sunnydale.

"Someone will be there to meet you at the other end," Sirius said as he dropped them at the airport on Tuesday night.

Giles nodded and lead the group into the terminal. Sirius couldn't risk being seen by anyone who might recognise him. And he didn't really have a better idea of where to go than they did.

They found their way to the correct service corridor and the correct nondescript pale cream door. Pushing it open they found themselves in an airport terminal. It looked just like the ones outside except that the staff wore robes, and the ropes were velvet.

Giles handed their passports and travel passes over to the bright young witch at the counter.

"Off, to England, hey? It's getting cold there now. Still, it'd be nice to see a white Christmas. Not many people travel on Halloween, still, I get paid extra. The working visas are all in order, do you have work already? Still, lots of people take on extras for Christmas."

She sent them off to the next counter where their luggage was checked and Giles's wand was measured.

"None of the rest of you have got wands?" the Wizard demanded. "What's the world coming too? I ask you. Was a time when no self respecting witch or wizard would leave the house without one."

He continued in the same way, mumbling to himself as he led them to another room full of what looked giant mushrooms.

Dawn was the only one who seemed excited.

"Cool," she breathed.

Spike chuckled at the look on her face, but eyed the mushrooms wearily. Buffy's expression hadn't changed from weary resignation. Xander looked nervous, Willow looked like a little kid in a lolly shop, and Tara looked the same, if more subdued.

Giles dragged his bags and put them inside the circle drawn around the mushroom their guide had led them too. The others followed his example and stared at the metal shape expectantly. It was plain, mushroom shaped, waist high, and bright yellow. It had 'HAL' carved into the top.

"Here are your straps," the wizard said, addressing them directly again. "Make sure you're connected to every piece of luggage you own. No point making us come after you. The number of people who leave their things behind."

He continued as he handed out straps and they tied themselves to their baggage. Only Giles seemed unperturbed by the process.

"Okay. Hands on the pod, people," they were instructed. "You've got about twenty seconds, so just wait. Do not take your hands off, please. I don't want to baby-sit you for the next half hour."

Twenty seconds and a navel-pulling tug later the extended Scooby Gang, plus Spike, were in England, standing, tied to their bags next to a bright purple mushroom with S(HM) carved into the top.

There was another efficient, bustling, staff member in airport security robes waiting to take them to from the port-mushrooms. Although the experience had been strange, it had also been mentally acceptable. Teleportation was something they had all seen. Travelling by fireplace didn't seem to make any sense at all.

Coughing, the group arrived in the back bar of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Bugger, I'm never doing that again," Spike said, frantically dusting his coat.

"It was nice," Buffy said. "Disorienting, and nothing at all like the real world."

"It's real enough," a voice said, "Just different."

Dawn ended up on the floor and gratefully accepted the proffered hand. It belonged to the only other person there; a man with grey streaked hair. He was wearing robes, like all the airport staff had been, but his were faded. They were even patched in places, and with a practiced hand.

He waited until the others had piled out of the fireplace with their stuff before introducing himself as 'Remus Lupin, a friend and associate of Sirius's' and shaking everyone's hands.

He shook Xander's last and looked at him carefully as he did so.

"You don't look very much like your grandmother," he said.

He sounded relieved, and Xander could understand that, having spent several hours hearing stories about the Black family history.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Remus said. "Sirius and Dumbledore both hope you'll be able to assist us this year. I'm not sure how much he's told you, but I'll answer any questions I can, and then we can go shopping."

"Shopping?!" Dawn asked brightly.

"We know pretty much everything," Willow said. "And we're here to help."

Remus smiled, and looked forty-ish instead of fifty-ish. He nodded his appreciation of their acceptance, and coded language.

"Alright, so if you're set for questions, it's just gone nine am, we can go to the bank."

"Bank," Buffy said, well aware that she didn't really have any money.

"AM?" Spike repeated. "I'm not going out into that."

Remus blinked at him for a moment, then began patting his robes. He pulled out bulkily wrapped object. He handed it Buffy who looked at him dumbly.

"It's a Nedustus," Remus said.

Buffy unwrapped it. It appeared to be a three rings, in increasing size, connected by a thin chain. It wasn't particularly heavy, but Buffy knew that it was strong.

"It allows the vampire wearing it to walk freely in sunshine. It only works if all bracelets are closed, wrist, forearm, neck. It's easy enough to break its connection. But it's pretty hard to take off completely."

"Can I still stake him?"

"Yes."

Spike refused to react to Buffy's questions. He knew that she had made the question personal, despite the fact that it had him riled.

Buffy offered the chains and clasps to Spike. He wondered how many people would recognise the contraption for what it was. It had to be less than the number of people who would recognise someone who couldn't go into sunlight. He took off his shirt.

Buffy looked away as Spike flexed his muscles at her.

"Golly, pet, you never saw arms where you were?"

The rest of the gang glared at Spike with shocked indignation. Giles looked slightly thoughtful through his glare. Buffy stood at her full, inconsiderable, height and gave Spike a haughty look.

"I didn't need to."

Spike choked. Buffy coolly clipped the bracelets closed. Spike's laughter cut off abruptly as his whole body tingled. He felt suddenly exposed and pulled his clothes back on.

"You're embarrassed, now?" Buffy asked.

"You're very chipper, at the moment," Spike eyed her suspiciously.

"This is a nice place so far," Buffy said slowly.

"Where were you?" Remus asked, politely.

There was a lull in the conversation while someone tried to think of what to say. Xander had quietly, and privately explained what had happened over the summer, and Buffy's reluctance to talk, to his father. Sirius had also been fearful of the spell used, and Xander didn't want that kind of attention.

"Holiday," Buffy said, with a shrug. "I needed a break."

Remus caught the reluctance and simply nodded; everyone was allowed some secrets. He gathered the group together and led them through the bar to the alley in the back. Giles was anxious to get to Diagon Alley. Even though no one else knew what was exciting about the dingy courtyard, it was beginning to infect the others.

Spike was more anxious to make it out of the shade.

Dawn and Willow liked the wriggling bricks.

"They're so cute," Willow said.

"Can we take one home?" Dawn said.

Remus raised an eyebrow at them. If they had been impressed by the wall, they would be amazed by the Alley itself. Spike leaped through and stopped, staring up at the sun-filled clouds. Xander pushed him out of the way.

"Why did we bother to bring him at all?" he demanded.

"Did you want to rebuild our house?" Buffy asked.

"Point," Xander said.

"Hey!" Spike protested. But his heart wasn't in it. He could feel the sun on his skin, it felt something like the tingle of the bracelets.

Dawn grinned at Buffy. She seemed to be enjoying herself. And teasing Spike was a good sign.

Something in the air had surrounded Buffy with a sense that things were mostly okay here, generally. Sunnydale never had the feeling. And, given that she was normally patrolling now, she was pumped enough to enjoy the spectacle.

Diagon Alley was wonderful. Anya looked at the array of shops, comparing their prices to hers. Willow and Tara were nudging each other and pointing to people here and there. Dawn looked at all the people bustling through the market place in their colourful robes and pointy hats.

"This is so cool," she said.

Lupin smiled. But he was a little disappointed with their reactions, however appreciative.